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2 Sheets-sheaf 1 A. F. SHORE SPRING SUS PENSI ON SYSTEM onglnal Flled Dec 11 1920 April 6 ,.1926.

April 6 1926, Re,, 16,310

A. F. SHORE.

SPRING SUSPENSION SYSTEM Original Filed Dec. 11, 1920 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gag-5% Reissued Apr. 6, 1926.

UNITED STATES Re. 16,310 A E T OFFI E;

ALBERT r. SHORE, or N W r0nK, N. "Y.

srnme sUsrENsIoN SYSTEM.

Original No. 1,892,603, dated October 4, 1921, Serial No. 429,841, filed December 11, 1920. Application for reissue filed February 12, 1924. Serial No. 692,876.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT F. SHORE, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Spring Suspension Systems, of which the following is a .full, clear, and exact specification.

This invention relates to spring suspension systems, and especially to a spring suspension system for automotive vehicles, and its main object is to provide in such a system means for overcoming the objectionable oscillations set up in the suspended body and converting them into vibrations disposed more vertically and parallel, with greatly reduced amplitude and intensity, thus permitting a corresponding'reduction -in the weight of all parts of the vehicle, notably the wheels, tires, bearings, axles, etc. This I accomplish by the provision of a third or fulcrum spring set, located approximately midway between the front and rear axles, the function of this spring set being to carry the middle portion of the load, particularly under high road speed.

Another main feature of the invention is vehicle and to yieldable opposer means,

adapted to oppose the springs only when recoils exceed a predetermined amplitude.

These and other objects of the present invention will be hereinafter described and Similar c aractersvdesignatelike claimed and are illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of the general arrangement of my improved suspension system, partly in section," the front body beam not being shown;

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation, with part of axle beam broken away; i v

Fig. 3 is a plan view, showing the general layout of the body frame, subframe and springs; and

F i 4 is a rear elevation'of therear wheel set, s owing springs and their saddles, op-

poser sprin and stirrup, etc.

parts in allthefigures of the drawings. v

Referring to the drawings, 1' have shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the general layout ofthe which is free to turn.

suspension system as applied to the frame of an automotive vehicle, while in Figs. 2 and i are illustrated a the spring sets, opposer spring, etc. for the front and rear axles.

Herein W designates a semi-elastic sub frame, preferably constructed of seamless tubing and having its ends I swaged and heat treated to produces spring temper.

These ends may beshrunk or screwed into 1 such a flexible manner as is necessary for general motor-vehicle construction. This semi-elastic frame is now ready to receive the .springs and the frame for the upper structure. Further flexibility is provided by the manner in which these springs are mounted. At B in the center of the semielastic sub-frame is a knuckle which has bearings U for mounting a cross-shaft C On this cross-shaft are mounted the saddles for the fulcrum spring-set E, to which they may be fastened in the usual manner. The members of the spring-set may be unusually wide. The rear "ends of said members are connected together, by the cross-bar F and the forward ends by the cross-bar or brace V. These cross-bars or braces are integral parts of the upper frame, the cross-barV passing through links G, which in turn swing on the crossbar M, which also forms a cross-brace and an integ'ral part of the upper frame. These transverse bars or braces are utilized to produce the proper rigid connection between the subframe and-the body frame'which is necessary to resist end and side thrusts, especially those encountered in starting or turning a vehicle. It will thus be seen that while the spring-set E is free to rock on thelshaft C,

it is rigid to longitudinal and lateralthrusts.

"On the front axle (see Fig. 2) is mounted a full elliptic spring 0, whose purpose it is to carry a limited load and at the same time provide the roper cross bracing for' the forward upper ody to resist side thrusts, as in turning. This spring is ,mounted and fastened to the axle in the usual manner. Above, it is fastened to the upper frame in the groove of an inverted channel-bar P.

As the upper body has now been rigidly sus pended to resist the usual thrusts, it will follow that the rear springs may beof a. kind which have no. lateral resistance but only compressive resistance. Hence, the helical springs L may be employed. Twoof these are mounted on the rear axle in saddles at. M. andNv (seo Fig. 4);. These axle springs L and O are given exceptional length of stroke and great flexibility, inasmuch as the amplitude of vibration; in: them sometimes is twice, as great as it. is: in the center fule crumi spring-set E. Tov guard, however, against undue rebound ofthesuspended body, particularly in: the event of extreme depressions or elevations in the roadway, a counter-acting spring Q, or its equivalent,

may be employed. 'Ilhis: spring isv preferacarrier springs, the cantilever; ends ofv the counter spring Q releasexcontact. As the vehicle passes overthe ordinary undulations ofithe road, the ends of: the; counter spring Q,- do' not touchany part of the stirrups R,

remainingidlei When an undue depression in the road is struck, with a tendency for the wheels to be pushed. down to. the bottom of said: depression by the recoil of the load supporting springs, the counter.v spring Q,

instantly contacts with thelower: part of the st'irrups R; and prevents it thus helping the vehicle to glide over the depression with the least possible iolt to the suspended: body and its load upon striking the ascending side of said depression. or the level road. Likewise, when obstaclesof undue-size are assed over by the wheels and as a result t e body is thrown up or .causedto rebound to: excep .tional height, the opposer spring by virtuev of carrying the positive weight ofthe Wheels and axle mountings again retards the undue rebound by contact with the stirrups R, thus adding on. suddenly the weight of wheels and under structure to the Weight of the. upper body. This at. once not only retards the progress of rebound of the upper body but simultaneously con-fusesthe rhythmic vibration which; would otherwise beset up for a time after, when the vehicle is again running on the normal roadbed, and hence. the said vibration is subdued much more quickly than hitherto.

. Inasmuch as: lightness of. construction smoothness. of riding are the principal objects sought in this invention, it may be necessaa'y to adopt certain. modifications of construction, as, for example, a. truck carrying a heavy load may. require a different kind of truss for the'lowerframe than would be best for light passenger machines. Likewise, in fastening the ends of the members of said lever frame to the axles, a difference may be made. In a light passenger machine, these may be bolted in tight, as at J and so that all twisting; motions; or strains communicated by the wheels would be met by torsional elasticity of the semielastic swaged orreduced extremities. In trucks or heavy passenger machines, because ofthe larger cross section and less uniform. heat treated conditions of the semis elastic. members, it would be necessary to substitute torsional elasticity with studs which. turn in bearings, such. as. the bosses on the axles would then become. These bearings, while allowing the studs. to turn, can yet secure the beams of bl1"St-zl)'-fl.il lil6 so as to be rigid against end; thrusts or prying strains. This feature of securing thelongitudinal subframe. members pivotally on the axles or axle housings, instead of rigidly, is of especial advantage for instance, ifone of the wheels during the travel of the vehicle mounts an obstacle, acertain amount of' pivotal movement will take place in all four bearings,'thus avoiding; twisting or torsional strains on the. frame members.

By supporting the middle portion of the load on the center springs, it will be seen that the subframe plays the part of a fill.- crum for the wheels with regard: to lifting that portion thesweight of the body when passing over obstructions.

What-I claim is:

1. In a spring suspension system, the combination with a subframe fulcrum attached directly to the axles or housings thereof of the front and rear supporting wheel sets, of

a fulcrum spring-set hinged on said subframe for free vertical oscillation and positioned approximately midway between: said front and rear wheels and adapted for at.- tachment to; the beams of a suspended chassis, and springs positioned at the. fore and rear ends of said chassis- 2. In a spring suspension system, the com:- bination with a semi-elastic subframe fulcrum attached directly tov the axles or housings thereof of thefront and rear supporting wheel sets, of a fulcrum spring-set hinged on said'subframe for free vertical oscillation and positioned approximately midway between said front and rear wheels and adapt ed for attachment to the beamsof a suspended chassis, and springs positioned. at

the fore and rear: ends of said chassis.

3.. In a spring suspension system, the combination with a semi-elastic subframe fulcrum attached directly to the axles or housings thereof of the front and rear supporting wheel-sets, of a fulcrum spring-set hinged on said subframev for free vertical os- LliO ' adapted for attachment to the beams of a cillation and positioned approximately midway between said front and rear wheelsand,

crum attached directly to the axles or hous ings thereof of the front and rear supporting wheel-sets, of a fulcrum spring-set hinged on said subframe for free vertical oscillation and positioned approximately midway between said front and rear wheels and suspended chassis, springs positioned at the fore and rear ends of said chassis, and a supplemental spring adapted to oppose said rear springs when the vehicle is without a heavy load.

5. In a vehicle, the combination with a fulcrum subframe having longitudinal beams attached directly to the axles or housings thereof of the supporting wheels, which axles also form cross members for said longitudinal'bealns, of bearings at or near the middle of said longitudinal beams, a cros shaft adapted to turn in said bearings, a sup porting saddle for said cross-shaft, a spring carried on said saddle and adapted to suspend the middle part of the vehicle frame, springs for the front and rear axles, and a supplementary spring adapted to oppose said rear springs to arrest undue recoil os-' cillations of the vehicle frame.

6. In a vehicle, the combination with a fulcrum subframe having semi-elastic longishaft, a spring carried on said saddle and adapted to suspend the middle part of the vehicle frame, end springs for the front and rear axles, and a supplementary spring adapted to oppose said end springs to arrest undue recoil oscillations of the vehicle frame.

7 A vehicle embodying asemi-elastic subframe adapted to support the middle portion of the weight of said vehicle, a spring hinged on said subframe near the middle thereof and adapted to carry the middle part of-the frame of the vehicle, springs near each end of said vehicle, a supplemental spring adapted to oppose the springs near the rear end of the vehicle when the vehicle is not heavily loaded, means for permitting disengagement of said supplemental spring when the vehicle is under load, and means for re-engagin'g said supplemental spring upon a recoil exceeding a predetermined amplitude.

, 8. A vehicle embodying a semi-elastic subframe adapted to form a fulcrum for part of the upper suspended load, horizontally-disposed leaf-springs hinged near the center of the longitudinal beams of said subframe, an

upper main frame for. said vehicle, means for rigidly securing said springs at their ends to said main frame, link connections between the forwardends of said springs and the main frame, a front spring of full ellipno form parallel with the axle and adapted to resist side thrusts, helical springs for the rear axle, an opposer spring for the rear axle, and stirrups for the upper frame and surrounding the ends of the opposer spring, said'opposerspring being adapted to oppose said helical springs only when recoil exceeds a predetermined amplitude.

9. In a vehicle having front and rear axles, a subframe embodying longitudinally-extending frame members having rigid central portions and semi-elastic ends, said ends being pivotally supported on said front and rear axles, and a vehicle frame suspended upon springs carried by said subframe and axles. v

10. In a vehlcle having front and rear axles, bearings carried by said axles, a subframe embodying longitudinally-extending frame members having rigid central portions and semi-elastic ends, said ends being pivotally supported in said bearings, and a vehicle frame suspended upon springs carried by said subframe and axles.

11. In a vehicle having front and rear axles, transverse bearings carried by said axles, a subframe embodying longitudinallyextending frame members, each made up of a central rigid portion having semi-elastic end portions attached-thereto, said end portions being adapted to be pivotally supported in said transverse bearings, and a vehicle frame suspended upon springs carried by said subframe and axles.

In testimony whereof, Iaflix my signature. ALBERT F. SHORE. 

